Lawn sprinkler



March 2, 1954 N. NORDENSTAM LAWN SPRINKLER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept.18, 1950 A/oxae/s NoeaEMsrnm, INVENTOR.

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Patented Mar. 2, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LAWN SPRINKLER NorrisNordenstam, Riverside, Calif.

Application September 18, 1950, Serial No. 185,381

7 Claims. (01. 299-71) The present invention relates to an improved lawnsprinkler of the type described in my copending patent applicationSerial No. 23,249, now Patent No. 2,597,366, filed April 26, 1948. Thepresent invention contemplates a water operated motor for oscillating apair of sprays, the motor being operated by the water which ultimatelypasses through the sprays.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved sprinklerof this type for use in sprinkling lawns characterized by the fact thatit is rugged, simple, foolproof, inexpensive and of a minimum number ofparts which are not likely to become worn in use.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a sprinklercomprising a minimum number of parts which may be made and assembled inaccordance with present mass production methods.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved lawnsprinkler of this type characterized by the fact that it incorporates anovel valve of simple, rugged, foolproof construction which isautomatically operated in accordance with the angular positions of theoscillating sprays.

The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel areset forth with particularity in the appended claims. This inventionitself, both as to its organization and manner of operation, togetherwith further objects and advantages thereof, may be best understood byreference to the following description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a top plan view of an improved lawn sprinkler embodying thepresent invention.

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation of the same and shows the sprayheads at their extreme ranges of travel in dotted lines.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 ofFigure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line 44 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 but shows the parts of thesprinkler in a different operating position.

The sprinkler is mounted on a circular base which supports thevertically extending water supply pipe I I, the lower end of the pipe 1I being received in an elbow 'fitting l2 which is Welded to thecircular. base I0. The upper end of the pipe H as shown in Figures 1 and3 is received in the elbow 13. The other opening of the elbow l3receives the tube l5 having its other end closed by the plug [6 weldedor soldered therein. This tube I5 is provided with an annular flange [5Aand I50 and a downwardly extending apertured portion in the frame of anozzle I5B. It is noted that each of the elements specifically describedabove always remains stationary, these stationary elements being theelements It, ll, l3 and I5 with its flanges A, I50 and nozzle I5B. Thetube l5 rotatably supports the oscillatable housing or casing l I whichis in the form of an apertured ellipsoid. The casing i! has a pair ofalterthese parts being joined together through-a coop erating screwthreaded connection MB. In assembling the casing I! on the stationarytube [5 the casing half [1C is slipped over the endtube I 5 to contactthe flange [5A as shown in Figure 3. Then, with the annular flexiblegasket ring 22, coil compression spring 23 and annular ring 24 mountedon the tube, the other casing half I'IB is slipped over the plug end oftube I5 and screwed into the cooperating casing half [10. While thesetwo casing halves HB and [1C are being screwed together the coilcompression spring 23 and flexible gasket material 22 is compressed sothat a good fluid-tight connection is made between the two casing halvesI 13, NC and the stationary tube [5 on which it rotates.

In this respect it is noted that the coil compression spring 23 tends tomove the composite casing I! to the right in Figure 3 against theannular flange I5A as well as to resiliently press the ring 24 intoengagement with the casing half HE; and, the annular flexible gasket 22which covers the spring 23 serves to prevent leakage of the water pastthe spring l3 and between the tub l5 and ring 24.

An important feature of the present invention is the valve constructionshown in greater detail in Figures 4 and 5, such valve constructionincluding the pivotally mounted valve element or flapper 30 which ispivotally mounted on the stationary pivot pin 3! secured to the innerboss NE of the composite casing IT. This valve element or flapper 30cooperates with the nozzle i5B so as to alternately place such nozzlei513 in communication with the laterally extending tubes l1 and [9 inthe resulting oscillatory movement of the casing 11.

Examining Figures 4 and 5, the pivoted valve element 38, due to gravityforces acting thereon,

blocks off the opening to one of the tubes l8, is. It is noted thatwhile it is theoretically possible for the valve element 313 to assumeamidposition in which neither the opening to tube it nor the opening totube [9 is closed thereby, as a practi cal matter, such midposition is arelatively unstable one and any slight unbalanced force acting on suchvalve element, resulting from jar, inertia forces, or unbalanced forcesdeveloped during initial water flow, etc., causes the element 3 3 to bemoved by gravity forces acting thereon to one of the valve closingpositions. The entrance to tube 19 is shown blocked ofi in Figure 4. Thewater under pressure streaming through the nozzle I5B is always open tocause the interior hollow portion of the casing i? to be filled withwater. The water in the interior of easing Il may emerge through theseries of apertures HA therein but a portion of the water flows intotube IS. The resulting reaction of the water leaving the nozzle [8serves to pivot the casing H in the counterclockwise direction indicatedby the arrow 33. Such counterclockwise rotation continues until theparts assume their full line positions shown in Figure 5. When thiscondition exists as shown in Figure 5 the pressure of the water emergingthrough the nozzle 45B now impinges on the pressure face 3th of thevalve element 30 to cause the valve element 38 to move to its dottedline position shown in Figure 5 when the entrance to tube is is closedoff and the entrance to tube i9 is opened. Thus, the water then flowsout through the tube is and out of the head ISA at which point thereaction forces cause the casing 17 to rotate in the clockwise directionas indicated by the arrow as in Figure 5. Such clockwise rotationcontinues until the other pressure face 30B is moved into alignedposition with the nozzle [5B in which case the water pressure acting onthe face 363 causes the valve to be actuated, now to close off theopening to the tube 19 and to allow water to flow into the tube 18. Thiscycle continues with a resulting oscillation of the casing i1 and tubesl8, l9 carried thereon.

While essentially the valve element 30 is moved by water pressure, acertain amount of its motion is attributed to the fact that the valveelement 30 strikes the tube nozzle 153 at the end of travel of thesprinkler head with the resulting impact imparting reverse movement tothe valve element. For this purpose the pressure faces 39A and 30B areso shaped that they engage the valve element 30 at the ends of sprinklerhead travel. Specifically, the pressure faces 33A and 3513, whileessentially flat at regions thereof closest to the pivot pin 3|, suchfaces are inclined more to the vertical at regions more remote from thepivot pin 3| to effect the aforementioned contact. This feature is ofimportance, particularly where the water pressure is low and may beinsufficient in itself to cause the valve element 38 to flip over fromone of its extreme positions to the other one of its extreme positions.

- While the particular embodiments of the present invention have beenshown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art thatchanges and modifications may be made without departing from thisinvention in its broader aspects and, therefore, the aim in the appendedclaims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within thetrue spirit and scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. In a sprinkler of the character described, a relatively stationarytube, a downwardly extending nozzle in communication with said tube, acasing pivotally supported on said tube and havinga pair of radiallyextending water outlet tubes, a gravity actuated valve element pivotallymounted on said casing about a horizontal axis passing through acentrally located portion of said valve element and effectivealternately to place said water outlet tubes in communication with saidnozzle, said valve element being disposed below said nozzle with theaxis of said nozzle passing through said horizontal axis when saidcasing is in a central position and said valve element having a pair ofwater pressure faces alternately moved into aligned position with saidnozzle so that Water from said nozzle impinges directly on said pressurefaces to effect operation of said valve element.

2. In a sprinkler of the character described, an oscillatable casinghaving a pair of water outlet tubes extending radially thereof inalignment, a pivoted gravity actuated valve element movable betweenextreme positions for alterna-' tively closing off the entrance to oneof said tubes and allowing communication between the interior of saidcasing with the other of said tubes, means pivotally mounting said valveelement about a horizontal axis which extends through a central portionof said valve element, a tube assembly supporting said casing, a nozzleassociated with said tube and in communication therewith, said valveelement having a pair of water pressure surfaces alternately moved intoalignment with said noozle at the extremities of movement of said casingso that water from said nozzle impinges directly on said pressure facesto effect operation of said valve element.

3. In a sprinkler of the character described, a water inlet tube, nozzlemeans on said tube and in communication with said tube, casing assemolymounted on said tube, a V-shaped valve element pivotally mounted at itsapex to said casing, a pair of aligned water outlet tubes extendingradially of said casing and in communication with the interior thereof,the ends of said V-shaped valve elements being adapted to alternatelyclose off the opening to one of said tubes while allow ing Water to flowthrough the opening of the other one of said tubes, said valve elementhaving a pair of pressure surfaces on opposite legs of its V which aremovable alternately into an aligned position with said nozzle means toeffect operation of said valve element.

4. In a sprinkler of the character described, a water inlet tube havingan associated nozzle, an oscillatable casing mounted on said tube, apivotally mounted gravity actuated valve element on said casing, meanspivotally mounting said valve element for movement about a horizontalaxis which extends through a central portion of said valve element, saidnozzle means being directed toward said central portion when said valveelement is in a position midway between its extreme positions of travel,a pair of outlet tubes extend ing radially from opposite side of saidcasing in communication with the interior thereof, said valvecooperating with-said tubes to block off the flow of water to one ofsaid tubes while simultaneously allowing flow of Water to the other ofsaid tubes, said valve having a pair of water pressure surfaces movableat the extremities of its travel alternately into aligned position withsaid nozzle means so that watenfrom said nozzle impinges directly onsaid pressure faces to effect operation of said valve element.

5. In a sprinkler of the character described, a stationary base, a waterinlet tube mounted on said base with the upper end thereof extendinggenerally horizontally, said tube end having a pair of spaced flangesthereon and nozzle means, a casing assembly mounted on said tube end,said casing comprising two screw threaded halves, one of said casinghalves having an internal flange cooperating with one flange of saidtube end, a coil compression spring encircling said tube end and havingone of its ends in engagement with the other one of said tube endflanges, an annular ring on said tube end and abutting the other end ofsaid coil compression spring, said other casing half having an innerannular flange in engagement with said ring, an annular ring of flexiblematerial abutting said other tube end flange and said ring and enclosingsaid coil compression spring, a pair of aligned water outlet tubesextending radially from opposite sides of said casing, a V-shaped valveelement pivotally mounted at its apex to said casing, the ends of saidV- shaped valve element cooperating with the ends of said outlet tubesto alternately open and close ingress to the same, said V-shaped valveelement having a pair of pressure surfaces automatically movable at theextremities of its travel into aligned position with said nozzle meansto effect operation of said valve element, the outer extremities of saidwater outlet tubes having reaction type spray heads.

6. The arrangement set forth in claim 1 in which said pair of pressurefaces each have a portion thereof engageable with said nozzle at theextremities of travel of said nozzle to effect movement of said valveelement.

7. In a sprinkler of the character described, a relatively stationarytube, a downwardly extending nozzle in communication with said tube, acas;

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,144,070 Schneider June 22, 1915 1,751,641 Lindhorst Mar. 25,1930 2,022,396 Wiederhold Nov. 26, 1935 2,266,573 Stone Dec. 16, 19412,564,639 Cuppett Aug. 14, 1951

